The first It movie, based on Stephen King’s bestselling novel about a killer clown who terrorizes the children of a small town was a massive box office success. It caught many by surprise, too, since the buzz surrounding the release had been very low. But It went on to have the highest opening weekend for an R-rated horror movie ever, proving that there were more fans of the novel and its TV adaptation who wanted to see the big screen version than trade analysts had realized.
Now, the sequel to the horror flick, simply titled It: Chapter Two looks set to repeat the success of its predecessor. According to early predictions, the pic is gearing up for a massive opening weekend, as it could take in between $95 and $110 million. That might not sound as impressive as the opening weekend of the first film, which made in excess of $123 million, but it’s very likely that estimates will climb even higher as promotion for the movie kicks into high gear with the date of its release drawing nearer.
What really affects the box office of relatively lesser-known franchises like It, which lack the hardcore global fanbase of say, a Marvel movie or a Star Wars offering, are the reviews and reactions from early screenings. It: Chapter Two will surely benefit from that much talked about extra scene suggested by King himself, and a strong cast, featuring James McAvoy, Jessica Chastain and Bill Hader among others as the grown-up versions of the Losers’ Club, the group of children who defeated Pennywise the murderous clown in the first film, played to devilish perfection by Bill Skarsgard.
With a runtime of two hours and forty-nine minutes, It: Chapter Two will have plenty of time to tell the latter part of Stephen King’s sprawling horror epic, as the Losers’ Club return to the scene of their nightmares in their old town to confront Pennywise once more. And we simply can’t wait to see how the saga concludes.
